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Group attendance aids abstinence

Aftercare is a vital part of any treatment programme, and should be engaged with immediately following discharge from rehab. The following research investigates the impact that fellowship meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) have on maintaining abstinence.

Attending Rehab UK has been shown to improve substance use and other outcomes (Hubbard et al, 1997). However, the relatively high rate of relapse which often occurs after leaving treatment gives rise to concern. In this respect, the time after leaving residential rehab has been described as a ‘critical period’.

For many years, it has been recognized that aftercare services can help to maintain the gains achieved during treatment and to reduce the risk of relapse after leaving the protected treatment environment (De Leon, 2000). AA and NA programmes are an important part of addiction treatment systems in many countries throughout the world. Studies of AA have shown that it is associated with increased abstinence from alcohol (Timko et al 2000) and lower rates of relapse among those attending AA following rehab (Caldwell & Cutter, 1998).

Other studies of 12-Step self-help groups (both NA and AA) also showed that attendance at 12-Step groups is associated with increased rates of abstinence, improved substance use and psychological health outcomes (Humphreys, 2003). A study of post-treatment attendance at AA after in-patient treatment for alcoholism found that frequent AA attendees had superior drinking outcomes to non-AA attendees and infrequent attendees (Gossop et al, 2003).

Studies that looked specifically at NA have found an association between group attendance and improved drug-using outcomes, and length of time in NA has been found to be related to abstinence from illicit drugs (Christo & Sutton, 1994). Involvement with NA after treatment has been found to be associated with social networks that are more supportive of abstinence.

References

Caldwell P. E., Cutter H. S. G. Alcoholics Anonymous affiliation during early recovery. J Subst Abuse Treat 1998; 15: 221–8.

Christo G., Sutton S. Anxiety and self-esteem as a function of abstinence time among recovering addicts attendingNarcotics Anonymous. Br J Clin Psychol 1994; 33: 198–200.

De Leon G. The Therapeutic Community: Theory, Model, and Method. New York: Springer; 2000.

Gossop M., Harris J., Best D., Man L.-H., Manning V., Marshall J. et al. Is attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings after inpatient treatment related to improved outcomes? A 6-month follow-up study. Alcohol Alcohol 2003; 38: 421–6.

Hubbard R. L., Craddock S. G., Flynn P. M., Anderson J., Etheridge R. M. Outcomes of one year followup outcomes in the Drug AbuseTreatment outcome Study (DATOS). Psychol Addict Behav 1997; 11: 261–78.

Humphreys K.Alcoholics Anonymous and 12-Step alcoholism treatment programs. Recent Dev Alcohol 2003; 16: 149–64.

Timko C., Moos R., Finney J., Moos B. Outcome of treatment for alcohol abuse and involvement in AA among previously untreated problem drinkers. J Mental Health Admin 2000; 21: 145–60.

Published by on 25/01/2012.

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